Clay Garden Easter Egg

DIY garden crafts can turn even the smallest space into a beautiful mecca of creativity. Create a Clay Garden Easter Egg from Candace Jedrowicz that you can place outside to celebrate spring. As your handmade piece weathers, the seeds inside the egg with return to the Earth.


 

Materials:

• Earthenware or stoneware clay – it must be natural clay – I found some in my local craft store, but it’s even better if you can dig it from your yard
• Toothpick
• Water
• Paint brush
• Seeds – any kind

Instructions:

1. Take two handfuls of clay about the same size.
    
2. Begin by shaping them into balls.
    
3. Hold one ball in the palm of one hand.  With the thumb of the other hand, push into the center of the ball right up to the knuckle.
    
4. Keep resting the ball in your palm with the thumb in it.  Press toward the thumb with the fingers of the same hand.  Press gently, turn the ball, press again, turn and keep pressing until you’ve gone all the way around.  Move your fingers to a thicker part and repeat until you have a cup shape with a 1/2″ thick rim.  Repeat for the other ball.
    
5. Gently pinch the rim of one cup and push out thin little petals all the way around.
    
6. If you like, whisper your wishes and intentions for Spring as you put your seeds inside one of the cups.
    
7. Scrape the rims of both cups with the toothpick, leaving clay crumbs on the clay.
    
8. Dot water in the scratches.
    
9. Put the rims together and push gently.
    
10. Gently fold the petals of the one rim over onto the other half of the ball.
     
11. Smooth gently with your fingers at first, then roll the ball on your work surface.
     
12. Shape the clay into an egg.  Scratch and dot water anywhere you want to add dots, squiggles or any other clay shapes.  You can scratch words into the wet clay or symbols.  Make it as meaningful as possible.
     
13. Allow to dry.  Place in your yard and let the weather take the egg back to the earth and plant your seeds.